@article{discovery1556638,
         journal = {ACS Macro Letters},
            year = {2017},
           title = {Development of a Gemcitabine-Polymer Conjugate with Prolonged Cytotoxicity against a Pancreatic Cancer Cell Line},
          number = {5},
           month = {May},
           pages = {535--540},
            note = {This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions.},
          volume = {6},
             url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.7b00160},
            issn = {2161-1653},
          author = {Joubert, F and Martin, L and Perrier, S and Pasparakis, G},
        abstract = {Gemcitabine (GEM) is a nucleoside analogue of deoxycytidine with limited therapeutic efficacy due to enzymatic hydrolysis by cytidine deaminase (CDA) resulting in compromised half-life in the bloodstream and poor pharmacokinetics. To overcome these limitations, we have developed a methacrylate-based GEM-monomer conjugate, which was polymerized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization with high monomer conversion ({$\sim$}90\%) and low dispersity ({\ensuremath{<}}1.4). The resulting GEM-polymer conjugates were found to form well-defined sub-90 nm nanoparticles (NPs) in aqueous suspension. Subsequently, the GEM release was studied at different pH ({$\sim$}7 and {$\sim$}5) with and without the presence of an enzyme, Cathepsin B. The GEM release profiles followed a pseudo zero-order rate and the GEM-polymer conjugate NPs were prone to acidic and enzymatic degradation, following a two-step hydrolysis mechanism. Furthermore, the NPs exhibited significant cytotoxicity in vitro against a model pancreatic cell line. Although, the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of the GEM-monomer and-polymer conjugate NPs was higher than free GEM, the conjugates showed superiorly prolonged activity compared to the parent drug.}
}